From simple gowns to small wedding parties, 2020 rocks! If you’ve always dreamed of a large wedding with several hundred guests, don’t worry. Weddings that include your family, friends, coworkers and neighbors are still very much a thing! But if a smaller, simpler wedding is music to your ears, Lauren Burns, manager of Windy Hill Wedding & Event Barn, says you’re not alone. “Smaller weddings are a hot trend for 2020,” Burns said. “A lot of people don’t want the stress of a large wedding. Plus, small gatherings are far more intimate.” Burns said this past weekend, Windy Hill hosted a wedding with fewer than 75 guests. She said the guest-list included mostly family and a handful of close friends. “The bride couldn’t stop talking about...

This least popular month for weddings is also the least expensive Out of all the weddings you’ll attend in 2020, there’s a good chance none of them are scheduled for the wintry month of January. “January and February are the two slowest months of the year for those of us in the wedding business,” said Lauren Burns, manager of Windy Hill Wedding and Event Barn. It’s a fact. According to WeddingWire, which publishes a yearly ranking of the most popular months for weddings, January is always the least popular month since outdoor weddings are not an option in colder parts of the country. “Cold weather doesn’t really affect us since we have indoor heating at Windy Hill. But most couples prefer spring and fall for romantic outdoor ceremonies,”...

$500 prize for best 1920s costume up for grabs For one magical night, the Upstate venue known mostly for traditional bridal fashion will travel back to a time of flapper dresses, linen suits and straw hats. “I’m a huge fan of The Great Gatsby,” said Lauren Burns, manager of Windy Hill Wedding & Event Barn. “It’s why so we’re excited to ring in the New Year with a Great Gatsby-themed celebration!” Burns said couples attending Windy Hill’s first-ever New Year’s Eve bash will be in for an unforgettable evening of dinner, music and dancing. “The Roaring 20s were a time of tremendous prosperity in this country. And for Jay Gatsby, the title character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel, it was also a time for extravagant parties. We plan...

From bridal dresses to party favors, get ready for markdowns Have you heard?  Weddings are expensive!  The average cost of a wedding and reception in 2019 was nearly $30,000, according to WeddingWire.com.  And that doesn’t include the cost of the engagement ring and honeymoon which can add another $10,000. Thankfully, budget-minded brides can score some good deals on Black Friday. “Black Friday is a great time to save not only on big ticket items like wedding dresses, but household goods to give to the bride at her engagement party or bridal shower,” said Lauren Burns, manager of Windy Hill Wedding & Event Barn in Simpsonville. At 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving (11/28) through midnight on Black Friday (11/29), David’s Bridal will offer...

And why you shouldn’t get married without one Have you heard the story about the bride who popped a button on her wedding dress right before the ceremony? It happened to a bride who was getting married at Windy Hill Wedding & Event Barn in Simpsonville. Fortunately, she was best friends with Windy Hill manager Lauren Burns, who had just what the young bride needed. “She didn’t have a sewing kit,” Burns said. “Luckily, I had one nearby. Crisis averted!” Think of it as the Murphy’s Law of weddings: what can go wrong will go wrong without some level of preparation. For brides, and even grooms, being prepared means having an emergency kit. “Without an emergency kit, a small problem can turn into a big problem quickly,” Burns said. “It’s...

A peek at the hard work that goes into setting up for a wedding It’s the part of weddings you don’t see: lawnmowers buzzing, vacuum-cleaners vacuuming, and tables and chairs being shuffled—again! “Setting up inside Windy Hill Wedding & Event Barn is different every week,” said manager Lauren Burns. She’s not kidding. Chairs are constantly being moved from one side of the 10-plus acre property to the other. There are 200 chairs inside and 200 outside that must be perfectly placed for each wedding. “Many brides will see a photo on Windy Hill’s Instagram page and say, ‘That’s exactly how I want the chairs to be arranged for the ceremony,’” Burns said. Preparing the barn for the couple and their guests is no small feat either. Every inch...

How rustic venues have changed the rules of wedding fashion Make no mistake, white gowns and black tuxedos are still the top fashion choice for brides and grooms. But as more couples choose barn weddings over more traditional church weddings, the rules of “what not to wear” are starting to loosen up. “Barns have that country feel. It’s a more comfortable feeling,” said Lauren Burns, manager of Windy Hill Wedding & Event Barn in Simpsonville. Proof of that comfort can be found on Windy Hill’s popular Instagram feed. If you scroll through the photos, you’ll come across grooms that decked out in light-colored tuxedos and wheat boutonnieres. “A lot of our grooms lean toward khaki. I’ve even seen a few with jeans and cowboy boots,” Burns...